I Don't Have to Exist Outside Here
by Felicity Dream
Summary: Tarrlok is manipulative, but he knows when to pay his dues. Korra is allowed to use him for his failure in getting help to her. Makorra issues and rising tension, steady Borra friendship even though he wants more, and Asami turns out to be a good friend. In the midst of it all, Aang calls out to her from another world and she feels like fading away. AU Korrlok episodal rewrite.
1. He's an Image

Disclaimer: Nope, just a fanfiction writer. I would be richer, if I did.  
Story: He doesn't tolerate failure and he knows he failed the Avatar. He's too prideful to admit it to anyone else, but he offers recompense in the dark of the night. Korra is allowed to use him, but they just end up being more messed up.  
Set after episode 1x05 "The Spirit of Competition", but is a playback to 1x04 "The Voice in the Night".  
Spoilers: To the latest episode maybe.  
Warnings: Just in case…Cursing and violence for now…hm, just in case since I'm usually writing it, bit of crazy humor, perverted humor, morbid or sarcastic humor, and maybe some sexual situations…  
Pairings: Korrlok, implied one-sided Makorra, implied one-sided Borra, and Pemzin with a mention of past Linzin.

**I Don't Have to Exist Outside Here**  
_Chapter One: He's an Image_

Her lips are soft. They're pliant under his and strangely obedient coming from this sassy girl. She doesn't move away and he takes the encouragement as what it was, permission to continue. He runs his hands slowly down her sides, dragging his fingers passed the fabric of her clothes. She aggressively pushes up against him and kisses him harder, taking the initiative to start unbuttoning his shirt.

He is used to manipulating people and having control in his hands.

But for the night, he will allow himself to submit and let her have all the power in this room.

It's a strange thought. Like he mentioned, he's the one with the control and manipulation. But tonight, he would let this girl use him, manipulate him for her own means.

(He doesn't care for weakness, so he won't ever admit part of this whole thing is because she somehow became his.)

She bites at his bottom lip and he kisses her back gently in remindful response. She pulls back slightly and kisses his neck briefly in apology, silently telling him that she's trying not to take out all her anger and frustration on him.

(Tarrlok would allow it, if she did, because he silently promised her anything for tonight –maybeforeverhedoesn'tknowdoesn'tcare)

He manages to unclip her hair and let it fall loosely in waves, like the water they share, love, need…The moon is shining and fills them with a sort of energy, and it makes them both feel somehow sort of lighter. The bed is welcoming and she leads them to it and he follows. It is her show. It is about what she wants. His hands are metaphorically tied –he may be a politician and he knows how to play the crowd and speak with a silver tongue…but he has his own code of honor to follow and he breaks it for no one.

(He considers Korra and wonders if that might apply to her too, and he doesn't know because she seems to tests all his boundaries.)

All his clothing seems to disappear as he thinks, and his hands have not been idle in his thoughts. They're both bare to each other, chocolate skin meshing together, separating and then coming together again and flawlessly melding as if they were one. Her eyes are wide open and staring unashamedly at him; they're so clear, a crystallized blue that reminds him of the powder blue shade. Do they match with his? He wants to know how much they match, if only the brown of their hair, the chocolate shade of their skin can meld together and if their eyes would make a prettier shade as the colors mixed together…

A hand has snuck behind his back and impatiently, but at least gently, tugs on one of his ponytails and he kisses her quickly, before she can decide she wants to ask him what he was thinking about.

(Would they look good together?)

He's too hard to be patient and usually he does little tricks and methods that would allow him to hurry things and curry it to his favor, with all his other past bed partners. He doesn't this time and waits as patiently as he could on the bed as she explores his body. He knows she's never done this before and that this is a privilege she is eager and curious to finally fully take advantage of and fulfill all her little questions and clear up or confirm any prior notions.

(It's hard, so very hard to simply lay languish there and not do anything but teasingly brush his fingers back and forth against her kneeling thighs as she hovers over him and her talented fingers dance across his skin and tease areas and caress others and dearLadidshejustsqueeze –

He draws in a sharp breath, but watches hypnotically as she experimentally lifts his hard shaft and examines it. A fingertip hesitantly strokes from the base to the head of his penis, and he shivers violently. Her shivering at his prior brushes against her thighs are nothing to the shudders he reflexively gives at her investigational touches.

He's a prideful man, pride that partly got him into this situation in the first place, so he refuses to admit the vulnerabilities she is drawing from him to her. But she's been watching and still is, and knows now she has some kind of effect on him and it excites her. She's more than a little curious about it, but right now isn't the place for questions. Instead, she bodily lifts him up slightly and turns him a little as she slides underneath him.

He blinks in confusion at the change in position, even as he's bewildered and embarrassed that such a smaller and younger girl could so easily lift him. But then she's forcibly pulling him down to her and capturing his lips, and he's pushing back though he's not fighting. Her lean, beautiful legs lift up and clasped around his waist, and she moves her hips up, slightly nudging into his cock in offering. He breathes in deeply and cradles her head in his hands, making her look at him.

(She's young, abrasive, cocky and precocious, but he can admit to at least himself that he likes her precociousness.)

Tarrlok kisses her and closes his eyes, knowing hers are wide open. He thrusts in and he hears a sharp hiss in his ear; his kisses her again and she just rolls her hips against his in answer. It's delightful and he throws his head back with a sigh.

She's inexperienced and young, but she catches on quickly and learns the movements just as easily as her natural talents with three of the four elements.

(He has a hard time accepting that she's also learning all his little ticks and favorite spots and places that make him crumble so easily…)

She seeks out his mouth and takes his lips again, just as their hips start moving more rhythmically. He wonders if it's so strange that they instinctively start to move like the tides?

He pulls back and she follows; she moves away and he's seeking her. They move sensually back and forth in a slow rhythm, ash gray eyes staring into powder blue, and their breaths are intermingling.

(He seems to enjoy pursuing her; it seems it's one thing after the other, and he continually chases after her.)

Her nails dig into his back and she bucks up against him harshly. Though he'd promised she has the reigns, he can't help but thrust back roughly back in response. He sees a small grin flit across her face at that, and he doesn't have long to contemplate that because she's upping the pace and he adjusts to match her. The way they're moving now, they're both reminded of tidal waves and they're crashing into each other.

They move faster and it's so close to peaking, both of them murmuring to each other in their native tribal language. But Tarrlok doesn't want to end it just yet; this is his only time, his only moment with the Avatar. He'll chase her regardless, but this will probably be the only time she'll ever reciprocate.

(He's disappointed and wishful for more time, and wishes he could draw this out for as long as he could keep her with him, for just a moment longer _someone please_.)

Korra clenches around him and he cums.

She follows.

(This whole time he's above her, the one topping, but the truth is she's the one deciding and controlling everything from beneath him.)

He pulls out of her and hovers above her for a second as they stare quietly at each other. He brushes back a sweaty strand of hair from her face, and her eyes flutter close briefly. He tentatively moves and lays his head on her bosom, listening to her heart as he holds onto her in a feather-like hold with his hands. She wraps her own arms around him more surely and holds onto him much more tighter.

For a moment, they lay there like that, almost lost in time and like a calm ocean under the still shining moon.

The illusion breaks as she moves him back and slips from under him, not looking at him as she gathers her clothes silently and gets up from the bed after. She lightly cards her hand through his unbound hair momentarily, eyes still averted, and she kisses his cheek once before getting up and leaving him behind in the now suffocating room. She hasn't even bothered to dress first and the door closes behind her with a click of finality.

He leans back and stares up at the ceiling, moving only to shift the covers up further his body, trying to keep away the now converging cold and the rapidly leaving warmth of the bed.

He isn't sure whether or not the cold is physical.

_The lights are still on. He leaves the backroom and sees the Avatar pacing furiously in front of her desk. The mounds of paperwork assigned to her are piling again, and he mentally makes a note that he'll have to tackle some of it himself. He likes structure and order in his workplace, and knows that some of those documents are most probably important…_

_He largely ignores the snide voice ridiculing him and accusing him of favoritism and attachment._

_"You did wonderfully tonight," he speaks up, complimenting her on her performance at the pro-bending match that night._

_Tarrlok isn't a fan and doesn't watch it, but she came on it and he admits to dabbling in it now and then when it involves her._

_He sees she's startled and Korra looks up abruptly to see him._

_"Oh. Tarrlok. I'm sorry; I just needed a place to think. I'll go," she says awkwardly to him._

_He preens a little, because she addresses him so familiarly and he likes that she does so casually._

"_It's alright, you are the…**part-time** deputy of the force," his lips twitch a little in amusement and hers does too. She **is** absent a lot for her role. "You are allowed entry into the headquarters whenever you wish. I'm sorry if I was interrupting –I just got done with some late work and was about to leave."_

"_Well, aren't you a dedicated workaholic," she says nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow at him as she places her hands on shapely hips smartly. "And you aren't interrupting. I was just…" Korra frowns heavily before sighing and running a hand through her hair. "Venting," she finishes lamely._

_He moves forward and sits on the edge of her desk, only an arm's length away from her._

"_Frustrated?" he murmurs._

_She scoffs. "Yes and no. Hell, if I know. Maybe a little."_

"_Do you want to talk?"_

"_No," she answers shortly, before wincing. "Not that it's because of you or anything…thinking about it is just raising my hackles right now though."_

_He nods and she goes back to their original topic._

"_Thanks for the compliment," she embarrassedly mentions. "And it helps that you let me take a break so I could focus a lot on practicing for the tournament. So thanks for that too."_

_He shrugs, knowing it didn't befit his station, but the action seemed to amuse and even make her relax more around him. He makes note of this._

_Tarrlok really can't help cataloguing things._

"_It really was quite beautiful," he says softly, gaze far off. "Your movements were fluid and yet sharp. The three of you had been doing so badly and yet you managed to do such an awe-inspiring save in the end. It was…breathtaking to watch."_

_It's flattery and it's something he's so good at…but this time, he's a little too lost in thoughts, a little too loose with his mouth, and a little less mindful of himself, so that a little flattery somehow becomes just a little bit more._

"_Thank you," she breathes out, staring at him with wide eyes._

_He snaps out of it and carves a polite smile on his mouth for her. Her look of question and some strange gaze of awe (like she's never seen him before or maybe she's seeing him differently right now) makes him feel uneasy._

"_You know…it really does help to talk," he offers again, and she looks uncertain but then considering. She ends up shrugging like him, but it looks more natural or less strange on her than it had on him. She plops herself right next to him on her desk and frowns heavily._

"_Have you…have you ever liked a boy –"_

_At his look, she holds up her hands and grins apologetically._

"_Girl, girl I mean!" she laughs a bit. "Have you ever liked a girl and they're with someone else? But you decide to confess anyway and they end up rejecting you."_

_He hmms and wonders if he should make something up, as only the reverse situation is what usually happens with him. He decides to be honest. He tells her that he can't accept a girl's confession if he doesn't return their affection; it would be rather cruel to lead them on. He is arrogant and self-conceited, and knowledge that there's no shortage of women confessing strokes his ego –but he doesn't lead any woman on. He makes his wants and expectations very clear from the beginning._

_Tarrlok doesn't tell her all that though. She doesn't need to know that and it's more information than she's asking for. So he simply says that in the end, the boy she likes may simply be trying to be kind and not give her false hopes._

_Then she tells him the boy she likes likes her back, but he's confused and doesn't know and likes the girl he's with at the same time too._

_Oh._

_Well, that makes things more complicated._

"_And she's really pretty too…" she sighs. "I can see why he likes her. She's elegant, **beautiful**, and rich. And she's nice too, so it makes it really hard to dislike her."_

"_Perhaps she is, though I'm of the mind that you're elegant in your own way and I believe you're much more beautiful and exotic than the women here," he says it smoothly, but the reality is that he hadn't meant to speak all that or express his opinion so forwardly._

_She seems to bring out the awkwardness and clumsiness out of him, and he neither likes himself like that or admitting that it happens._

_Korra is looking at him differently again and he tries to bring back the conversation before he makes it more awkward again._

"_Then he is making a choice, and I would say a foolish choice. I would have chosen you," and Tarrlok utterly fails at that and wonders if perhaps he might've gotten drunk at some point and just hadn't noticed._

_But she laughs loudly and slaps her thigh in amusement, grinning at him with delight. However, her eyes hide the gratefulness he still catches and he's inwardly a little glad for his foolishness for the moment._

_So he decides to continue while he's at it, and maybe try to mold it into a joke. "But perhaps I'm a little biased with my Water Tribeman's roots."_

_She laughs again and he's tempted to join in on her mirth._

"_Do you think about Amon?" she asks suddenly, when she calms down._

"_Of course. I admit I obsessively try to preplan scenarios and situations where we could run into him, or we might be able to capture him, and ways we can put him down. It would –"_

"_I don't mean about getting him," she softly interrupts, her gaze directed at the floor._

_He looks at her, waiting for her to continue and clarify._

"_Do you think about what he can do? I mean, do you ever think about him taking your bending away?"_

_Tarrlok hesitates, unsure what he has to say to that. "No…I just, I suppose it hasn't quite sunk in. Perhaps I'm just an overconfident fool and thinks it can't happen to him, and so the thought's never crossed."_

_She doesn't answer, but he glances at her and he can see in her body language that **she's** thought about Amon taking away her bending._

"_Does it scare you?" he asks quietly._

_Korra stiffens up and doesn't answer him, so he goes on._

"_I don't blame you if it did. It is a scary thought, and even though I've never thought of it, the thought of losing my bending scares me too. This may be a controversial statement, and I swear I do actually truly admire Avatar Aang…but I pity and feel sorry for Fire Lord Ozai," he admits. She looks at him curiously now and he tries to articulate his thoughts. "Imagine, you've lived your whole life with an element as a part of you, as practically an extension of your soul. And then suddenly –it's gone. Part of who you are is gone forever, and there's a gaping hole in your soul. How did Ozai feel when what little warmth in his life was suddenly gone?"_

_Korra nods in thought. "You know, I don't think people study the teachings of chi and its role in our life anymore. People are less focused about the old teachings, and think a little too much about things outside of them and materials and all this other stuff. Wouldn't they realize that chi is the life force in our bodies? Chi is needed to bend. The very chi that runs through your veins as a life force has integrated this element into the writings of your being. The chi that is dedicated to the bending in a person capable of it…when it's gone, what happens to this person? They had a specific life force rooted for bending, and when it's gone does that mean a portion of their life force has too? Does that make us dying in a sense or even already dead?"_

"_That was…rather thoughtful and wise," he looks at her appreciatively and a little admirably._

_She rolls her eyes, but still looks a little too solemn to be the vivacious girl he is used to._

"_I **am **the Avatar. I didn't pay much attention to the spiritual side of things in my training…but as the Avatar, these thoughts invariably end up running around my head anyways, even more so when past Avatars' memories and thoughts flitter through at times. Especially…" she hesitates._

"_Especially Avatar Aang?" he questions gently, but inwardly intensely curious._

"_There were times that he wondered whether or not he did the right thing…he'd frequently think back to it and question it…but he never told anyone…" Korra whispered, like she didn't want to expose Aang's thoughts as much as her predecessor had kept them quiet to the day he died._

_He stays quiet too, and they'll keep those thoughts of Aang's private and secret between them in respect._

_Together, they stay silent and contemplate. When he glances over at her, he sees she's huddled into a semi-ball on the desk, face too serious, and her body tense. All this, from him to Amon and fears of the Equalist leader, to this complication of love, all in combination seems to have been bothering her for awhile and taking a toll on her._

"_Do you love him?" he asks abruptly, remembering her more vulnerable form as she walks with Tenzin off of Memorial Aang's Island. He feels a pang of regret and remembers his thoughts of how 'Yes, she's the Avatar, but she was still young and a little girl too,' and that he shouldn't have depended and put so much on her shoulders all at once._

_The idea of an Avatar, and one on his side, blinded him and he forgot (forgets) that she is the Avatar but she is Korra too._

_He failed the Avatar that night, and not just when he failed to protect her or come to her rescue as he'd surely proclaimed (he always does and his mother and his father and his sister have all told him he gets too overconfident)._

_Perhaps this is his chance to offer compensation for his shortcomings._

_He doesn't like failing and ever since then, he has had the need to do something to pay her back in return. So he looks at her startled face and waits._

"_Maybe, I don't know. I don't think so," but her eyes look at him heartbreakingly, and maybe she does a little._

_He doesn't tell her that though and merely takes one of her hands._

"_You don't have to be alone tonight," he murmurs. "All this stress and grievance piling on top of you, you can relieve tonight as well. If you want to forget this boy for the night…" he brushes his lips against her knuckles as he looks at her straight in her eyes._

"_Tonight, I am at your service, Avatar Korra."_

Started 5/16/12 –Completed 5/16/12

A/n: Meeee and my crrrraaacckk paaaiiirrrings~ I know, I know. Another cracky couple. I swear, for once I actually like the canon couples in this fandom –Makorra is sweet and Borra is just adorable –besides, how can you choose right now? I still like crack pairings best though :P And poor Tarrlok, he's so hated right now, even though he's hardly hard any screen time (and what he does have makes him look every bit the politician he's supposed to be aka not good to everyone else). Plus, he's opposite Tenzin, who everyone likes –he doesn't stand a chance with that favoritism, mwahaha. I favor present tense for prologues/first chapters and drabbles, so next chapter should be back to my usual style.

Korrlok relationship is sort of grounded from the Ogata/Hikaru relationship from Pru's "The Relative Value of Things." Very lovely and emotionaly impacted (in a subtle way too) fic. Plus, it helps that there really are parallels in those two relationships (from the attitudes of each person, age gap, personality...). Yeesh.

_**Review and alert please? (puppy face)**_


	2. So Low for How High

Disclaimer: Nope, just a fanfiction writer. I would be richer, if I did.  
Story: He doesn't tolerate failure and he knows he failed the Avatar. He's too prideful to admit it to anyone else, but he offers recompense in the dark of the night. Korra is allowed to use him, but they just end up being more messed up.  
Set after episode 1x05 "The Spirit of Competition", but is a playback to 1x04 "The Voice in the Night".  
**Spoilers: Up to episode 1x06 "And The Winner Is…"  
**Warnings: Just in case…Cursing and violence for now…hm, just in case since I'm usually writing it, bit of crazy humor, perverted humor, morbid or sarcastic humor, and maybe some sexual situations…  
Pairings: Korrlok, one-sided Makkorra, one-sided Borra, and Pemzin with mentions of past Linzin. Amorra stalking, Korrasami sisterhood, Makoralin tension, and Tahno pushes his way in here (but also big on Tahnorra friendship). Aang calls BFF.

**I Don't Have to Exist Outside Here  
**_Chapter Two: So Low for How High_

_The wind was quiet. The scenery was as pretty and green as ever, but though the sun was bright, the wind blew, and the trees swayed…everything was too still, the sounds were muted, and she couldn't smell anything._

"_Korra."_

_She turned her head and saw her predecessor smiling softly at her, lying parallel to her on her right._

"_It's so quiet," she murmured to him._

"_It is. But it's kind of peaceful, isn't it?"_

"_Yeah…I suppose it is, Aang. It can be lonely too," Korra mused, though inwardly there was a part of her that liked and preferred this place. "Do you think I can learn airbending?"_

_An amused smile toyed at the once last airbender's lips._

"_Of course. All Avatars eventually learn all the elements, and not a one has ever failed."_

"_But what if I'm just really, really bad at it?" she muttered. "And I'm the first who really can't do all four elements."_

_Aang chuckled, hand reaching out and grasping a handful of grass. He moved his hand into the air and unfolded it, letting the grass get caught in the wind and float away. Korra followed it with her eyes, relaxed at her spot next to him._

"_Did you watch?" Aang asked. "Do you remember the image of the grass floating away in the wind? Remember every detail. Imagine it in your head when you try to airbend. Focus only on that image."_

_She closed her eyes, recalling the image. A peaceful smile crossed her lips._

"_I think the world should be –"_

"Korra? Wake up. Wake up, Korra," she was suddenly being woken up.

Blinking in confusion, she focused her eyes and saw Tenzin worriedly crouching in front of her. That's right…she'd been meditating. She couldn't recall falling asleep however –because the only time she could meet with Aang in that world was when she was asleep, so she must've fallen to sleep sometime in her attempt at meditation.

She must have more in common with Meelo than she'd thought.

Korra told Tenzin so and he just rolled his eyes, cuffing her head lightly as he hid his relief. In return, Korra just smirked and shrugged unapologetically, searching out the time.

"I've got to check in with Tarrlok for a little, see how the others are doing," she said as she noticed the time. "I'll probably eat lunch there, before heading to practice with the boys."

Tenzin frowned and she inwardly sighed, giving him a look. "Yes, yes. I know. Tarrlok's a manipulative, smug jerk, with a habit of usually looking out first for himself. I get it, Tenzin. No need to look like you're going to barf every time I even remotely mention the guy."

Tenzin started twitching violently and Korra hurriedly left, laughing as she ran away before he could retaliate somehow. Whistling loudly, Naga ran beside her and with a running jump, she launched herself onto the polar bear-dog and immediately settled herself comfortably as they continued to rush out of the Air Temple.

It wasn't long until she was nearing the Task Force Headquarters, and once again wished they had a nicer one like the metalbenders and Chief Beifong's Police Headquarters. That is, if their budget would have allowed it. Like any other organization or group under a government, they were allotted a budget…a rather _nonexistent_ budget. Seeing as how they were new, small, specialized, and an on-call/rare usage squad that was tentatively (and on a probation term) formed…yeah, there was certainly no money going their way.

Tarrlok may have gotten his way and gotten his squad, but that didn't mean it was going to be paid for and funded by the Republic's government. Any money going in it was coming personally from Tarrlok himself. And well, there was only so much money he could give to the squad without ending up broke…

She snickered at the thought of _Tarrlok_, of all people, ending up broke, but knew in all seriousness that it wasn't impossible. Money wasn't infinite, and while a politician's salary wasn't light, it still wouldn't be enough to fund an ongoing organization like their squad long-term by itself, or pay for everything they needed.

Which goes back to their current headquarters being a drab building with semi-bad lighting, sparse furniture and decorations. Well, it was an upgrade from the basement of City Hall that they had borrowed for their first mission.

And speaking of Tarrlok…

She got off Naga and had her trail behind her as she went inside the building, eyes darting around for the politician. He was nowhere to be found, so she relaxed a little and was about to navigate the halls to go to the back and go outside to their training yard, when she was waylaid by the very man she was trying to avoid.

"There you are, Korra. I need you to look over several of these and sign next to my name," Tarrlok told her, maintaining a professional front and a neutral face.

Korra looked blankly at him. "Do I have to?"

"Please don't try to avoid them this time."

She sighed in exaggerated exasperation and took the pack of papers from him and rolled her eyes, waving the papers at him in mock-irritation before turning and going back to heading to her original destination.

"Korra?" his voice stopped her again.

She hesitantly turned to face him, seeing him still looking impartial and gait straight and regal as almost always. She still recalled the tinge of barely noticeable hesitancy in his voice though…

"Are you staying awhile?"

She cleared her throat nervously. "Yeah…I was thinking of hanging around a bit."

"Good," he murmured. "Perhaps I'll see you later. Good day, Korra. Train well, though don't be too hard on the men."

"No guarantees on that last part," she joked lightly, giving him a weak salute before going back to trotting away.

Once outside, she observed the other members of the Task Force, jogging around the training area, starting their warm ups. She gave a whistle and their heads immediately snapped towards her direction, eyes widening when they saw who it was.

"Lieutenant!" they all cried out at different times in greeting to her.

Inwardly, she relished the title and decided that she shouldn't have been so teasing of Tarrlok when he first decided they were going to use military ranks in the unit.

She grinned freely at them. "Well, well –only jogging? What have you all been up to? Slackers!"

A bunch of them, having finally reached her, burst out into explanations and she couldn't really understand them.

"We all missed you," one of them, Yuruk, yelled out eagerly.

She blinked. "Missed me, huh?"

An hour later, though retaining that they still missed her, part of them wished she was still gone for them to miss.

"Didn't I say not to torture them?" Tarrlok asked, coming up from behind her.

She grinned cheekily at him. "But they _missed_ me."

That was punctuated by loud groans and tortured moaning in the background from the men who trained on heartily, as per instructions from the lieutenant and second in command of the Task Force. Somewhere, one of them collapsed and huffed in pain on the floor.

"Korra, don't kill them. And it's lunchtime," he said wryly.

"We're saved!" Tokka, another waterbender on the squad, cried out. "Thank you, Captain."

Korra pouted and Tarrlok shook his head.

"In the meantime, care to help me sort out these things and fix them to our wall of Equalist Mapping?"

"Sure, sure."

He helped her up and they went in, their men trailing gratefully after them. Inside their shared office, they headed to the back, where the entire wall was covered in clippings and strings connecting them. Quietly, they began to continue piecing together their map on the Equalist movement and activities, the noise in the background of the men calmly and yet strangely soothing them into a peaceful mindset.

"Captain, Lieutenant, I'm out to Narook's. Do you want me to get you something?" Hahn, one of the younger members, asked them as he poked his head through their open doorway.

"Share some crab cakes?" Tarrlok directed to her, pausing in putting up a recent Equalist flyer.

"Sure, sounds good," she nodded and he relayed the request to Hahn.

Soon, the noise in the background began to dim as everyone quieted and either left the building or went elsewhere than the main office space. The atmosphere between Korra and Tarrlok became tense.

This was how it was since…that night. When everyone was around, the two of them were normal and acted like nothing had ever happened. And then everyone disappears and things become awkward and quiet between the two, and they could hardly be alone together without things being uncomfortable or tense.

Frankly, it bothered and kind of irritated Korra a bit.

Sighing in frustration, she glanced quickly out their open door and then sidled over to Tarrlok, who she could see had immediately noticed her actions and had begun to tense up at her approach. Swallowing back her hesitancy, she firmly laid a hand on his arm and waited until he at least looked over at her.

"You know, I still think we make a good team," she said softly, looking firmly into his eyes.

He cracked a smile at her words. "Yeah…we do."

"So, even with what happened, that shouldn't…that shouldn't have to mean that our dynamics get all out of sync, right?" she asked, voice slightly a little more desperate than she'd like it to be.

"Of course, Avatar Korra. I apologize," his larger hand patted hers gently.

She removed her hand from his arm and frowned. "I'm sorry too and," she glanced quickly out again, "keep calling me Korra. Hell, I call you Tarrlok and I _slept_ with you –you should just use my first name."

Tarrlok nervously glanced out as well, before nodding sharply.

"The cleared air makes things a little easier," he murmured to her.

"I'm glad…Me too," she reciprocated.

At least things seem a little bit better between them.

When lunch would finally be over and they went back to training, Tarrlok joining in this time, the time flew by faster with so much activity going on. For the rest of the week, Korra consistently joined them until afternoon neared its end, and then she was heading over to practice.

On the eve of the Pro-bending Finals, the entire squad all queued up to wish her luck and expressing their hope (loud determined exclamations that stubbornly refused to see any other outcome) that she and her team would win. With such resolute loyalty and faith, Korra was very touched and just a tiny bit inwardly exasperatedly fond of her squad.

When the others left to go back to training on her orders, Tarrlok replaced them and stood quietly by her side.

"You will win, won't you?" he casually asked in rhetoric, feigning nonchalance to tease her.

"Damn straight I will," she boasted, fueled up by the squad's encouragement.

"Like I doubted," Tarrlok's lips twitched upwards and she huffed at his attitude. "Good luck then."

And he leaned down and kissed her cheek briefly, though it drew a sharp breath from her as she stared at him wide-eyed. He, on the other hand, had already gone back to watching their unit.

Ikki was right. For a man, Tarrlok sure was rather feminine.

The feeling of his soft lips lingered on her skin long after.

* * *

He should've known. He really can't understand how he wouldn't have thought she would come barging in, fiery-eyed and bristling with indignation, and demanding they not close the arena (though her friends accompanying her hadn't been a thought at all).

He didn't change his mind. He knew that it was unlike him not to go the aggressive route, but this time innocent bystanders were at stake. He was all for the notion of going head on and against the Equalists, but that was when it was him and his men, and abled bodies that were capable and willingly signed on to fight back. Even if it was Korra who was outraged and unable to understand his unusual stance.

Several points she'd made, he completely sympathized and agreed with –it galled him to agree to this because he felt like he _was_ letting Amon win by letting the man get his way, as she had brought up. It severely hackled him to have to agree with Tenzin of all people, but there was no other choice that would allow for the arena to stay open.

His gavel had been raised and about to set down the final rule. The decision had been made and just _ready_ to be set in stone.

And then Lin Beifong, again _of all people_, had stepped in and decisively put a halt to their final ruling. His precious gavel is destroyed and she unexpectedly sides with the Avatar (hadn't she been against Korra?).

This was an interesting twist he couldn't ignore, especially when Lin specifically said _it was time the benders of the city opposed the Equalists_. She even offered to provide extra security for the arena –though he may antagonize and scoff at times at the woman, he couldn't overlook that she and her metalbending police _were_ trained for this sort of thing, _were_ extremely skilled and strict, and (however much he may outwardly sarcastically speak of her track record), her track record was actually very notoriously impressive.

This was three stones he could kill: please Korra, please the people (who undoubtedly will be loudly disappointed about the arena closing and not understand the graveness behind the situation), and to finally get these people to be more active and forceful in this fight against Amon and the Equalists; to realize their opponents are serious enemies and mean business and they could not afford to be lax and peaceful.

He was getting tired of practically screeching at them all that this was, no matter how slow or subtle, an actual war going on and that Amon was soon accelerating things until it became a more traditional bloodied war that had people dying everywhere. _Amon_ was the one who wanted a war and was masterminding things and setting things up to head that way; Tarrlok was only trying to provide a counter offense and to try to make sure they weren't going to end up blindsided and caught off guard when the time came for war to fully break out, busy twiddling their thumbs and surprised when they get sucker punched because they were trying for diplomacy with a man who didn't want to be diplomatic. Amon wanted all benders to _pay_, and there wasn't going to be compromise anywhere in that.

Sometimes, he just felt like a nagging wife to everyone on the Council and then some, screaming his head off at them (metaphorically of course –he doesn't scream) because they just wouldn't listen. _Especially_ Tenzin. He would much prefer the idea of being married to Korra.

…He brushed that thought off hurriedly and determinedly focused on the situation at hand.

Things were made even better in his changing of decision when Lin willingly took complete responsibility for everyone's safety. The absolute surety in her voice, as well as the fact she had to be very sure to even make that statement, sold him on the quickly overturning decision in his head. Coupled with her admittedly remarkable track record and her and her men's training for this kind of thing, perhaps he could change his mind on this matter.

And if things went wrong, he had his scapegoat. He couldn't afford to have his image be smeared, as he absolutely _needed_ to be at the forefront of this fight against Amon, especially by Korra's side. And the image of the Council, have it smeared or to have them be at odds with each other or looked badly against by the people or looked at as weak, definitely couldn't happen. It would be yet another thing Amon could use against them, the image of a weak government, a _divided_ government, or to sully them in any way that could bring about the current government's downfall and lead the city to unstructured chaos and anarchy. They had to keep a strong and united front to assure the people and keep them from being frightened or worried, lest they start to freak out and even break out into mobs and riots in their panic.

Protests he could deal with and even understand –rioting and mob-like behavior that would likely keep escalating until destruction of things was inevitable and people got hurt in the process, as well as mindless violence and behavior occurring was something else.

He refused to linger on the more negative thoughts and focused on the fact that Lin was supposed to be very skilled and that he could trust her to be sharp-eyed and competent, and therefore trust her with Korra's safety.

He couldn't help his smirk at the way things seem to have gone his way after all and ruled his vote oppositely.

Afterwards, with the meeting adjourned and everyone separating (him glimpsing Tenzin escorting Lin out with an unhappy scowl –when was that man ever happy?), he started to head to his office. Inside, he quickly found a brush and some ink, and began to pen a list of areas that needed a look over for Equalist sentiments.

"So, planning on raiding these people or going to actually try talking for once?" Korra's voice from beside him startled him.

He moved abruptly, slightly bumping into his ink well and spilling a little of it onto his paper.

"You should be more watchful, Tarrlok. What if I had been Amon?" she teased, leaning casually against his desk and facing him.

He just gave her a deadpan expression and flicked his brush at her, satisfied when droplets of black ink hit her shirt. She blinked at him and slightly gaped.

"…Well, well…you always are full of surprises, aren't you," she murmured.

He ignored her and went back to his work.

"Aw, come on! I'm sorry," at her pouting, his lips twitched upwards and he relented.

"What can I do for you, Korra?"

"I'm just here, questioning your usual scheming and manipulations," she raised an eyebrow at him. "Somehow, I don't see you changing your mind so quickly without having motives involved."

Tarrlok raised an eyebrow back at her. "Says who?"

She gave him a look, to which he put down his brush and put his things aside, moving to face her fully.

"Korra, have I ever not let you in on the fact I'm completely and utterly manipulative and try to calculate everything to what I want or need to happen? I've hardly ever not made sure to let you see the times I'm being controlling, correct?"

Korra barely repressed a snort, crossing her arms. "Tarrlok, from the moment I met you, I knew exactly the way you work. I only find it amusing and kind of…strange that when working others, you're much more subtle, and yet you do the complete opposite with me. I mean, you had me cornered by journalists in a surprise gala you threw for me –how was that not obvious? You seem to make it a habit to be see-through in your machinations when I'm involved. You make it kind of noticeable to me when you're trying to get me to do something or want something from me…and then I just pick and choose whether or not I will end up going along with it."

"Unless, of course, there's a task force you absolutely have to join, and then I'm just stubborn and relentless; though I'm still obvious going about it, maybe more so."

"Well yes, there is that."

He briefly frowned before sighing. "I find it easier to work with an ally that knows what I'm up to. If I am going to work successfully with you, there should be a level of trust there so we can be able to be in sync and trust itself is needed so that we can even work together at all."

"You politicians and your fancy smancy words. Just say that we got to get some trust going on to start to work with each other and once we're all trusting, working together should come more easier," Korra waved a hand dismissively and unconsciously started to lean closer to him, hand mindlessly reaching out and starting to fiddle with one of his ponytails.

He bit back his retort at that and grew quiet.

"Tarrlok?"

He gave a strained smile. "Just…make yourself comfortable. I'll explain, if that is what you want."

Curiosity plain on her face, she sat on his desk in front of him, practically between his legs as she continued to play with his ponytail.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Anyways, that trust can only happen if I let you in on my scheming. If I'm trying to manipulate you, the least I can make sure of is that you know I am. And if you want to make the call against me, if it's a situation that I can let go, it's up to you. If it's like the Task Force, then I will unapologetically be a bastard if I have to."

"Is this one of those times?" her eyes bored into him intensely, making him almost feel like fidgeting.

"No, hence why I wasn't so outright," he sighed quietly. "There are…certain things I'm hoping for an outcome out of this. The most important is that people will come to see that we need to start bringing the fight to the enemy. We can't just stand still, waiting for them to attack us and cry foul when that happens. We're…Amon has been causing problems in Republic City for a long time now, and it's only now, with you finally making your debut here, that we are all slowly starting to fight back. Do you know how behind that makes us? How long that's given him to prepare to stage a full war our way, when we're just barely becoming active? We're like sitting ducks."

She could completely read the frustration in his voice, and hearing what he was saying she could see where he was coming from.

But she also saw his hesitation at the next part. "I…I'm especially hoping for a conversion of Chief Beifong."

Korra blinked, caught off guard. She hinted for him to continue and he took a few moments to gather his thoughts into words.

"Think of it this way –she is the daughter of the esteemed Toph Beifong, war hero and admirable warrior who was friends with Avatar Aang. That alone, no matter what comes of her performance at the arena and subsequently, is enough to keep her high in people's opinions and give credence to what she has to say. If she is slowly beginning to come to our point of view of things, she starts to finally become more active in this civil war and bring others more around to our side. And it's even better with her personally; Chief Beifong is an incredibly skilled bender and respected figure in society; she is also trained in this kind of thing and was personally trained by her mother. She would be an incredible asset in this fight because of her skills and because of her experience and knowledge."

Korra nodded, showing she understood that motivation and having seen a little bit of that skill that morning in City Hall, she could agree on that front.

"And if things go wrong –"

"They won't," she frowned at him.

He looked at her patiently and continued on. "If things go wrong," he held up a hand to stop her from speaking. "I have hopes that she would be able to see things my way still…but also…another route she may choose in which maybe, she could be the ferocious and fearsome fighter she used to be before she became lax."

Intrigued, she tried to be as patient as he clearly needed her to be and waited for him to finish that explanation.

"She's still skilled and a great fighter, but these days she's less pro-active and isn't as forceful in keeping order and abiding the law, at least not on important matters as you could attest your first day here," he looked at her meaningfully, and she blushed as she remembered her arrest. "If she fails at the arena, maybe this will help open her eyes to seeing that she needs to stop this laidback approach and become more aggressive in this fight. And if it's this stupid position she holds that holding her back, maybe a failure on the side of the law will make her see that she might need to step down and do things outside of the law –take things into her own hands and fight back on her terms."

"And we still have a valuable ally that isn't restricted," Korra mused. "But who'll take her place if she does end up resigning?"

Tarrlok took a deep breath, feeling rather somehow strangely stressed. "Saikhan would be ideal as her second in command and as the senior office…but her officers are more followers than leaders. They're skilled in combat, but not in leading and structuring. I figure I'm the next qualified, with the limited experience I have in combat and the more I'm gaining with the Task Force, and more qualified in being a leader –as opposite to her officers, knowing more to lead than follow. While I can count on them to compensate in lack of experience in policing for me, I can lead them in turn so that they stay organized and structured. Still, I was planning on reading up on the kind of things that would be expected and things that need to be done, if I have to step in."

Korra grimaced, reading in between the lines.

"We don't have qualified people ready to take over, if this kind of thing happens," Korra noted the problem. "So we have to compensate with what we have and make do with the next best things. Or people."

Tarrlok nodded, gesturing to the waiting scrolls. "Exactly. We've relied on Chief Beifong and haven't thought that such an occasion like now would occur. Now that it has, we'll be scrambling to try to compensate. There's no one to step in, and we kind of figured that she would have someone ready to step in for her, though now it's obvious that it's unlikely as it looks like she seems to have thought she would be in charge for awhile."

Korra would have thought so too; Lin Beifong was a formidable and intimidating woman. It was a strange thought to swallow that she could ever be brought down.

She hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder, finally noticing her preoccupation with one of his ponytails and letting it go, hoping her face wasn't turning red.

"If you need help trying to get up to speed on all that, you know I'm here," she grinned lopsidedly at him, offering her support.

He smiled tiredly at her and she had the thought that all of this must be exhausting for him to try to put together and calculate; that for all his scheming, which he genuinely enjoyed or determined needed to be done, it all must be taking a toll on him.

"Amon is pretty smart though," and she tried not to grin at the baleful glare he sent her way, saying 'you think I don't know that?' "Look at what he's doing. You're right, this is war. But he's using unconventional warfare to fight back and it's crippling us because we look like the bad guys, which fits in perfectly in a civil war type like fight, pitting us all against each other. And he's mixing psychological warfare to help turn people against us and convince others to his side –you can see the tactics he's using is working, because of his charismatic speeches that _sound_ all righteous and like his side is right, but he's merely coating them in honey and bringing in people to his cause.

"We're doing a bit of guerrilla warfare already, with the raids we've been doing…but we need to take it a step up. We _can _fight back against Amon and not look 'oppressive.' The raids we do are actually pretty subtle and guerrilla-like, especially lately. But we need to be even more subtle and quiet about it; less media coverage like our first raid –those are fine every once and awhile, to help boost morale and we can even spin them to our advantage to the people if we word it right…but real guerrilla tactic is quiet. Our Task Force needs to really go underground, practically disappear and not be seen or heard. We hit them quick and silent, and it'll be hard to pin any kind of accusation against us."

Tarrlok looked at her in a different light, having not expected such inspiring strategy coming from her.

She laughed at him, grinning freely. "I'm the Avatar. Aside from the little bit of impressions I can manage to squeeze of millennia old knowledge and memories from past Avatars? The White Lotus Council thought it imperative to train me in military tactics and that kind of stuff, to help make me become a better Avatar and help prep me for my title in any case of war occurring. While Avatar Aang and certain others hadn't thought it necessary, the White Lotus Council was more jaded. Although, they were more expecting another elemental war rather than what we're stuck in now."

He hadn't actually expected that or known what kind of training she'd been put through. It had never crossed his mind that she'd go through such serious preparation, especially for something so grim as another war.

"Hey, Tarrlok?" and the hesitancy in her voice had him giving her his full attention once more. "We can still plan raids and that kind of guerrilla attacks together, but I think you should leave the more subtle stuff –like subterfuge, intelligence, networking –to me…I'll leave the politics to you. We can do unconventional warfare just as good as Amon. We just need to be smart about it. His speeches? You can counter his speeches –analyze them and provide a counter for each of his points. It's not enough for you to just make compelling speeches to try to appeal to the masses –what you need to do is look at all his arguments, contradict them to counteract against him, and then we can start neutralizing his movement and cause doubt in the people and maybe even his own followers."

He blinked, finding himself beyond impressed.

"I think I find myself utterly convinced," he murmured. "You seem more cut out for this than I am."

"But it's because I'm trained in it, and you're more experience in politics and the government areas, my good politician," she grinned cheekily.

* * *

Tarrlok was settling himself in his chair, getting ready for a long night of paperwork. He was stuck with filling out the paperwork with the 'arena decision', seeing as the others avoided theirs, foisted it off on him, and basically said the main decision had been up to him so he was in charge of the paperwork.

Tenzin had been particularly smug about it.

Tarrlok scoffed to himself. Was he the only one who got any work done around here, and actually bothered to do his paperwork?

Which reminded him –Korra's still needed to be done when he had time.

He adjusted his radio to be clearer and smiled, hearing the Pro-Bending match about to start. Time passed and his smile began to sour. He was agitated with the hosing foul, and the continuous obvious offenses began to grate on his nerves. He was baffled. Why hadn't the referees called any of them? That they could be paid off irritated him. He was proud to hear Korra having caught the edge of the field and saved herself and one of her teammates, enough to save themselves in round one.

By round two, he was slightly seething, though he cheered under his breath when it ended in a tie and Korra knocked that pompous Tahno down a peg with a perfect water uppercut.

The next round had him completely incensed as it ended in a clear cheat, with pieces of an earth disk hidden in a water shot that took out Korra's team. And the refs had the gall to not say anything about it and proclaim the Wolfbats the winners. He was inwardly cursing up a storm, when he cursed out loud when he heard the beginnings of the Equalists taking over the stadium.

He was out of his seat and halfway across the room when he realized he would be too late and useless. There was no way he would be able to get there in time to be able to do anything worthwhile. He could either run over and be too late, or stay here and find out what was happening.

So he forced himself to sit down and listen, being attentive and trying to find what he could use against Amon.

Though he was disgruntled with the Wolfbats, he wouldn't wish their fate on anyone and thought it was an unfair comparison to use them against all benders, as Amon had. And when Amon openly declared their revolution, he grimaced and knew that the time he'd feared was finally here. Everything he'd been saying, everything he'd sworn would happen and had been happening, was coming to light and it seemed as if they had been too late to be prepared for the onslaught.

Through scattered screams and exclamations from the audience, he'd managed to piece together a picture of what was happening in the arena in his head, finding the idea of Korra fighting back a proud one. Her almost drop had momentarily had him tense before he slightly relaxed at hearing Lin had not only caught her, but impressively tossed her up through the open hole in the dome ceiling. He couldn't quite hear what was going on up there, but knew he was going to look at the security reels even after the fact.

He was completely straight as he listened to how Lin was nearly to the airship that held Amon, when he heard screams of how the Avatar was falling from the dome. He was only torn between Korra's safety and Lin getting Amon for a second, before a snap moment made him freak out more for Korra and finding her safety more important to him.

What the hell was Lin doing? This should never have happened. Lin should have caught them before the Equalists even had a chance to attack –she was supposed to be on top of this. She was supposed to make sure Korra was safe!

He should have listened to Korra and ordered some of their soldiers into the arena.

"_Why can't we have some of our members in the Task Force help out Chief Beifong?" Korra asked._

_Tarrlok twitched, just imagining offering the woman. "Aside from the obvious recoil and immediate accusation that I am just trying to butt in or once again trying to upstage? Or that she would never accept help from **me**? We're not trained for this, Korra. The Task Force was specifically formed and trained in attack and offense, not protection or to provide security and guard others. We're not security guards, but a military unit that was made to infiltrate and fight. We aren't trained to remember to protect the people around us, like Chief Beifong's people are. They are trained and know how to fight without endangering innocents, when we're just a special task force designed to take out the enemy and primarily be an assault unit._

"_What we're capable of is reconnaissance and surveillance in hostile environments, training and development of other states' military and security forces, offensive action, support to counter-insurgency through population engagement and support, counter-terrorism operations, sabotage and demolition, and hostage rescue. We're more offensive than the law-abiding, public service type. We could cause more harm than good, even harming some of our own or the people by not paying attention to curtailing our attacks or the direction of them."_

_Korra nodded reluctantly, understanding that being untrained in protection meant that they weren't qualified in this matter._

But now, he wished that at least _he_ had gone to the arena for some extra support.

Tarrlok growled to himself, practically shoving his desk away from him and ignoring the screech it made across the floor. He had been _played_ like a fool. Yes, his own schemes could and were still in play, but to know that this was what that bastard had wanted all along, that he'd played right into Amon's hand, made him balk and curse his own narrow-sightedness. He wouldn't even be surprised if it had been _Amon_ who had paid off the referees, so that he could point out the disgusting cheating of the Wolfbats and use it as his example of "bullying benders".

By the time he reached the arena, it was completely empty and dark. He had hoped to catch Korra and make sure she was okay, as well as get an update from her, knowing Lin would just brush him off. Seeing no one, he was about to head back and just wait for the next day, when he saw just the barest of movements under the playing field in the waters. He wasted no time heading down there, even treading through the water in his expensive clothes. He could just bend the water out of them later anyways…

"…Korra?" he called out hesitantly.

There was a muffled sound and he tried to go faster, finally catching sight of the girl as she sat curled in a ball next to one of the field's support beams. He actually tripped to get onto the ground because of his heavy with water clothes, and didn't remember to bend the water out of them as he walked slowly towards the quiet girl (he could've bended the water to make the way easier –why was he being so absentminded?). At two arms' length away, he dropped to his knees and patiently waited for Korra to acknowledge him.

When she did, he could see her eyes were wide and there was a slight tremble to her body.

"What are you doing here?" she muttered to him.

"Looking for you. Are you okay?" he focused on instead of wanting to know what had happened.

"No," she told him sincerely, and he was struck by the easiness and absolute honesty she gave him. He felt…honored and admittedly touched at this observation. "I was _so_ close to Amon. I almost had him. In fact, it felt like I was gaining back some of the control I felt he took from me, and I wasn't as afraid of him then as I have been. But now…"

Korra let a sob and buried her face into her arms. Without hesitation, he crawled over to her and held her in his arms, murmuring whatever he could as he rocked her.

Strange. How long has it been since he's comforted someone? The last time, a long time ago, he ended up being called an insensitive bastard.

He had never had need for soft words or actions, but right now it seemed that he couldn't be unsympathetic and thoughtless to Korra. He couldn't accept the idea of being inconsiderate to her. She was fellow Water Tribe, common in likes and mind to him, someone he actually considered himself close to and was close to him in return…

_She was so firm and her lips were eager –_

He pushed away the flashback and focused in on the present.

"It's not fair. I thought I was getting over it. I don't _want_ to be scared of Amon. I _hate_ it. I thought I'd finally stopped being afraid of him, and all this time I really still am."

To hear her confess such an intimate thing had him humbled and pleased. She chose _him_ to admit such things to, and it was him she felt she could talk so intimately with. And perhaps, she saw he was the only one she could really freely talk to. Tenzin, though she was close to the man, had a habit of making things difficult. She could always talk to him, but worry about him overreacting and worrying over her wellbeing, and probably end up suffocating her. Her two friends seemed too young and naïve to understand what she was going through and she would feel uncomfortable telling them something so personal and private, and something that they probably couldn't truly understand. And he could read her –she wouldn't want to burden them with what was bothering her either.

So he did the only he could at that time. Let her cling to him and cry, without anyone else seeing her weakness or hear her fears…just a confidant that would stay silent and sit there soaking wet for her.

Started 5/27/12 –Completed 5/29/12

A/n: Yes, I'm aware of the latest episode. , But as with all my episodal rewrites, I'll do what I always do –adapt. I'm good at adapting the stories in with the canon reveal, to make it a sound AU. So that's what I'll do now, and trudge on. I'm really hoping Tarrlok isn't really a bag guy though…

FMA Amestris ranking is headcanon in the Task Force. Summary changed according to the new plans I have for this fic (originally supposed to be a three-chaptered fic focused just on their relationship), because I want to make this my mouthpiece for what I would prefer to happen in the show and to practice my military/political writing. Also, my other LoK fic "The Interview" has hints of Korrlok if anyone actually likes the ship.

**Review please!**


	3. Glad to Save You From My Misery I

Disclaimer: Nope, just a fanfiction writer. I would be richer, if I did.  
Story: He doesn't tolerate failure and he knows he failed the Avatar. He's too prideful to admit it to anyone else, but he offers recompense in the dark of the night. Korra is allowed to use him, but they just end up being more messed up.  
Set after episode 1x05 "The Spirit of Competition", but is a playback to 1x04 "The Voice in the Night".  
**Spoilers: Up to episode 1x07 "The Aftermath."  
**Warnings: Just in case…Cursing and violence for now…hm, just in case since I'm usually writing it, bit of crazy humor, perverted humor, morbid or sarcastic humor, and maybe some sexual situations…  
Pairings: Korrlok, one-sided Makkorra, one-sided Borra, and Pemzin with mentions of past Linzin. Amorra stalking, Korrasami sisterhood, Makoralin tension, and Tahno pushes his way in here (but also big on Tahnorra friendship). Aang calls BFF.

**_To lantur, whose messages encouraged me to keep going with this fic, even when I contemplated actually giving up on it. Even when I was writing this chapter and got discouraged or irritated with it, I looked back to those messages._**

**I Don't Have to Exist Outside Here**  
_Chapter Three: I'll Be Glad to Save You From My Misery I_

He awoke to a really bad stiff neck. And his clothes were still soaking wet, and clinging uncomfortably to him. And he was pretty sure that his back was going to be sore from lying on the cold, hard ground.

But he had a nice, warm body in his arms, and better –it was Korra, who had willingly spoken to him and confided in him.

It was one of the most contented moments in his life he ever remembered having. And he held her like he remembered his mother would have held him –_how even Noatak had held him once upon a time_.

He mentally shook his head from thoughts of his brother and focused on the girl in his arms. He was tempted to just stay there the entire time, so long as he was able to stay with her…but he was also restless about the situation and understood he had to do some damage control.

"You're thinking too much too early in the morning," Korra muttered against his chest and she grumbled before slowly pushing herself up, tilting her head so she could look at him lazily. One glance told her all she needed to know and she sighed. "…Right. I get it. Damage control."

"You read me too well," Tarrlok's lips tugged upwards and he absentmindedly started brushing his fingers through her hair as he mentally went over what he needed to address and began setting up a speech already in his head. He missed the slight blush on her face, as well as the minute flash of confusion and intrigue that went through her powder blue eyes, before they went neutral.

"I'll have to head to City Hall and call up an emergency press conference," Tarrlok mused aloud. "We can't let things sit or else everyone else will draw their own conclusions, the public will become more agitated and things might escalate into violence if they start to panic and become overly upset, as a result of last night's events."

"I see," Korra hmmed, reluctantly sitting up so that he could try to get up himself.

"…Chief Beifong?" she narrowed her eyes at him, the question making the air between them slightly tense. But she already knew, even before he looked at her apologetically, what he was going to do. "You're really going to go through with making her your scapegoat," Korra grumbled, glaring at him.

"Yes," Tarrlok answered bluntly, which she inwardly thought was rather way too similar to how she was most times. "I didn't _force_ her to take full responsibility. She made that choice on her own. Whether or not this move is ethical, though I prefer to think of it as morally gray, is irreverent. If we were to look at this unbiased, with just cool logic and just the facts, then we will see what an upset and panicking public will see –she chose to take on the responsibility of protecting the arena and the people in it. The cold, hard fact was that she failed. And if we don't address that, if we don't immediately take an action and speak to the people, after last night we might get a full out riot. Benders or non-benders."

It still bothered her, but she could see his point of view. That didn't, however, mean she had to like it, as evidenced by her continued glare. He continued on unfazed.

"Besides…I _really_ need Chief Beifong on my side and doing something, which she won't in either case as she dislikes me on principle, and she would never work with me in any circumstance. Not unless it was a life or death thing," he ended wryly. "And maybe not even that."

Korra sighed deeply, nostrils slightly flaring and letting a little bit of fire out to show her agitation.

"Maybe I could talk to her?" she offered, but Tarrlok gave her a disbelieving look and she's heard enough of the others' talk against Tarrlok to know that they would rather be oppositions. "At least let me hear your speech and try to edit it a little. _Try_ to not smear Chief Beifong's name too much, won't you?"

He started reciting what he had so far and she scrunched up her nose. They spent a good fifteen minutes at least, arguing back and forth and changing details to it. In the end, it wasn't as inflammatory as she'd thought it'd be, and she had spent more time simply just trying to soften up the references to Lin's mistakes.

"I need to call Tenzin," she took a deep breath, rubbing at her eyes tiredly. "Mako and Bolin, my teammates. They live here. Or had, until the arena became shambles. I was gonna ask if they could stay at Air Temple Island."

"I see. You can use the phone in my office to call him, while I get ready and set up the press conference," he offered. Mentally though, he cringed at the idea of having two infantile boys potentially catching him in such a state of disarray, and never mind with Korra. "I'll drive you over and after the conference, I can drive you back here to inform them of the news. Tenzin wouldn't refuse after all."

"Thanks," she smiled slightly at him and he couldn't help returning it.

He helped her up and they bent the water out of their clothes, heading out after to his car. She eyed it, remembering the one he'd bought her to entice her into the Task Force, and wondered how it worked. She'd never been in one and therefore had never learned to drive one (hence her confusion and blankness upon receiving it, and then wondering what in the world was she going to do with it after that reaction).

He caught her staring at his car. "So how do you like the Satomobile I bought you?" he grinned at her.

Korra blinked. "I haven't touched it."

Tarrlok stopped short, unable to hide his shock and dismay. "But…it's the latest and most expensive model…why would you…"

"Is it? Huh. Good thing I _didn't_ touch it after all. I don't know how to drive," she informed him. "That would've been a waste of money, if I'd just wrecked it. Still kinda is, since I can't use it."

"No, no. It's still usable for you," he reassured her, opening her door and letting her in. "I'll teach you to drive," he promised.

Her eyebrows flew up in surprise, but before she could say or do anything, he'd already shut her door and moved over to his side of the car, getting in and starting the engine. Then they were driving to the City Hall at a pretty even pace that almost lulled her back to sleep.

She'd almost been sleeping when Tarrlok gently shook her awake, and then she was following him up the steps and into City Hall without delay. When he led her to his office, her jaw nearly drop and she looked around in awe. Besides the spaciousness and strangely sparse furnishings, there was a gorgeous wall of water behind his desk that helped highlight the whole room in a bluish light. There was also an impressive embossing of La and Tui behind him, and though she knew he was a fellow waterbender and probably respectful of the two spirits, she hadn't thought he would be as inclined towards the old ways and traditions and be as spiritual because of them. She'd assumed so, as most people in Republic City didn't seem so.

"Let me arrange things first, and then I'll let you call Tenzin," he told her and she nodded inattentively, focused on looking around his office. It felt rather peaceful in there…

In the background, as she stared at the embossing of La and Tui and felt the almost silent rush of the waterfall of the wall, she vaguely heard the sound of Tarrlok's voice as he spoke on his phone. At certain intervals, it was sharp and at others a bit more patient. She couldn't hear any indistinguishable words, feeling caught up in her intense gazing of the wall and the embossed spirits. If she stared long enough, it almost looked like La and Tui were encircling, just like they were said to in the spirit oasis…

"Korra? Are you alright?" Tarrlok's voice interrupted her thoughts and she blinked in confusion, looking around her and then at him strangely. What had happened? "You can call Tenzin now, if you want."

She nodded distractedly and took the phone from him, clumsily dialing Tenzin's phone unfamiliarly because she wasn't used to the device. She spoke quickly with him and then got off, eyes gazing off into space afterwards.

Korra felt the cool and refreshing feel of water touch her hands and she glanced down bemusedly, seeing a small water model of a bird dancing on them. She felt a smile tug at her lips before she relented and smiled outright, looking up to see a softly smiling Tarrlok. She got the feeling that it was rare for him to act and look this way, and that she was the only one able to catch him like this.

"You really okay?" he asked her again and Korra smiled vaguely at him, glancing quickly at his wall once more.

"Yeah…it's actually really…peaceful and relaxing in here," she answered mysteriously, inwardly baffling him.

However, he just continued to smile and manipulate the water bird on her hands, entertaining and delighting her. She took water from his water wall and made a similar bird to interact with his.

"We can wait in here a bit," he murmured. "Until the press conference. We have time to enjoy the water."

She nodded dreamily, already entranced by the water again. He'd never seen her like this. It was strange and befuddled him, but he couldn't get the image of the water's reflective light casting a bluish tint to her dark skin, the odd enthralled look to her eyes that actually seemed glazed over as she stared at his wall of water, and if he wasn't imagining it…the almost unnoticeable swaying of her body. And yet, a part of him understood and was the same to a lesser degree whenever he was near the water here, feeling the water rush through him in the same echo as it fell from the top of his ceiling to the floor, hear it roar quietly in the back of his head, and the calm and yet excitability of it in his soul.

What was it like for her then?

In the time it took for the press to gather and become time for the conference, the two of them were entirely caught in the almost spiritual and yet playful movements of their water birds and their fluid movements of their arms and hands. Some of the enchantment that had gotten into Korra seemed to have seeped into him, and when it was time to stop the two of them had to take a moment to catch themselves and bring themselves back to reality.

They stared at each other for a moment before chuckling nervously, both inwardly shrugging it off.

"I'm going to go out and start the conference now. You can stay here if you'd like," Tarrlok muttered.

She nodded and gave him at least a nod, and then soon enough she was left alone in his office. She turned on the radio to the right station, and wandered around the room as she waited for the press conference to begin. She didn't even bother to hide her nosing around, knowing that Tarrlok would notice and call her out on it in exasperation anyways. She might as well not have to take any care at trying to be subtle, and make more work for herself.

Her hands brushed against seal skin bindings, and she grabbed hold and started pulling out a notebook. No, a sketchbook, she realized as she opened it. She flipped through the pages, barely tuning into the conference.

_"Although the Hundred Year War has long passed, we are not living in a time of peace."_

There was a lot of a handsome boy with a similar hairstyle to hers in the beginning of the sketchbook.

_"These revolutionaries who call themselves 'Equalists' are not interested in equality at all."_

There were a few with the same boy and a younger one that was shorter and smaller, but was utterly adorable. Involuntarily, she felt her lips tugging upwards again.

_"They just want to wage war against benders. Chief Beifong was supposed to protect Republic City, but she was powerless to stop Amon's attack on the arena. She has failed us all."_

Her lips went to an immediate scowl as she caught that last line, huffing inwardly. Hadn't she _told_ him not to put that line in there? Stubborn ox goat. However, her smile came back when she saw the next picture of the two boys penguin sledding. It reminded her of Aang as well…

The next page made her nearly drop the book in surprise, being that it was a sketch of her in her dress at the gala he'd thrown for her. She looked pensive in the sketch, looking off to the side.

Thumbing through some more pages, she realized that the rest was of her and she felt a jolt in her stomach she couldn't explain and an uneasiness that wasn't uncomfortable or wary, but wasn't sure of what to make of it either.

_"If we are to survive these dire times, our law enforcement needs new leadership."_

There. That should be the end of the speech. She hurriedly snapped the sketchbook to a close and took special care in putting it back and making sure it looked like it was never touched. Then she rushed over to his desk and sat in his chair, swiveling it so that she was facing his wall of water and gazing at it intently, trying to look natural and like she'd been there the entire time after snooping everywhere else.

The door to his office opened and he slipped in, his eyes immediately searching her out.

"Ready to head back to the arena to inform your friends?" though she could tell it was the last thing he wanted to do, if only because he didn't approve of them.

She just got that feeling.

Feeling mischievous, she decided she'd drag him along anyway. So she nodded and followed him out to his car, where he proceeded to drive back. She didn't bother to say anything to Tarrlok as she practically jumped out of his car, darted through the arena and up the staircase to where the brothers lived.

"Hey guys! Great news! You don't have to live on the streets. I talked to Tenzin and made all the arrangements. You can come live with me on the island!" Excited was the understatement, describing her. She was nearly buzzing with energy and in a really good mood.

Mako looked awkward, starting to speak. "Oh, we'd love to, but…"

"Asami's already invited us to live in her dad's giant mansion! For now on, it'll be a lap of luxury for us!" Bolin exclaimed, just as excited as Korra had been a moment ago.

Right now, she felt like a deflated balloon.

She quickly hid her disappointed expression and smiled weakly.

"That's…that's great, guys!"

"Hey, Korra. I was hoping you'd stop by," Asami appeared behind her, and she turned to see the pretty girl smiling at her and putting Pabu to the floor.

She tried not to let her already weak smile falter. "It's okay. I have to go actually. Sorry, guys!"

"How about tomorrow? I'd love to have you around the estate," Asami's voice sounded so hopeful and Korra didn't want to seem rude or something.

But she really didn't want to. "I don't know. I've got some...Avatar stuff to do." The excuse sounded pitiful to her, but luckily the others didn't seem to think much about that.

"Aw, come on, Korra! We all need some rest and re-lax-ation~ If ya know what I mean," Bolin winked playfully at her. "After the craziness, a little R&R is called for. And we can take a swim in Asami's pool! Come on, Water Girl –you'd like that, won't you?"

In the background, Mako stayed quiet in awkwardness, not knowing what to say or add in, and just letting his brother speak and be charming. Still, he wanted to say _something_…

"Come on, come on, come on," Bolin started chanting. "It'll be fun!" He then held up Pabu, who mimicked a swimming stroke and Korra finally let out a loud laugh, unable to stand it.

"Oh, alright. If Pabu says so," Korra winked at the fire ferret.

Bolin pouted. "Just Pabu?"

"Hmm, I suppose also on the advice of a very knowledgeable earthbender," Korra played along and had a genuine smile on her face as Bolin whooped.

"Great! We'll see you tomorrow," Asami said, practically beaming at her as she walked closer and stood in between Mako and Bolin.

Korra's smile turned awkward and she nodded at the girl, trying not to show her pace was hurried as she left them behind. She slowed down the closer she got to the exit, her smile dropping and her dejectedness showing.

She wasted no time reaching Tarrlok's waiting car, surprised he actually _had_ waited for her. She took her seat without another word.

He fake yawned, leaning back in his seat. "So…do I have to order some grunts to come in and help your little friends move their things to the island or what?"

"No, it's fine. They're going to stay with Asami in her big mansion," she couldn't help the bitterness that crept into her tone.

He didn't say anything to that, for which she was grateful, having already started berating herself on her childish attitude.

It was only after she looked out the windows that she realized they weren't anywhere near the docks.

"Hey, where are we going –?"

"So I was thinking," he interrupted her, though he didn't look her way. "We woke up and we didn't have breakfast. It's not yet lunch, so how about a late breakfast or brunch in the Pole District? Aside from Narook's, there are authentic Water Tribe cuisine in that area."

She blinked back the tiny tears that had been clinging in her eyes and stared at him. Still, he didn't look over at her. Her stomach growled.

"…You know, that sounds awesome. In fact, I'm famished!" her mood lifted up slightly and she was kind of glad Tarrlok and she were both Water Tribe and could bond over something like this.

They spent lunch comparing the North and South.

* * *

"So, I've got to go to the station and check in with Chief Beifong to see how the investigation is going on," Korra told Tarrlok as he drove away from the restaurant. "You heard the radio in the restaurant too. She managed to crack down on that Cabbage Corporation. That's good news for us, right?"

Tarrlok frowned, fingers tapping against the wheel in thought. "It should be, especially on how fast she managed to get the intel and act on it. And that's even better and quick a response to the press conference, which served as a good prodding towards her to act, like I'd wanted. And there was the evidence…but if we're not careful and something trips us up, we might be setting in for a trap. We'll keep an eye on things. Give me a report after you're done?"

Korra snorted. "Want me spying on them?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's not like they don't know I'm asking you for information. And I'm only asking you because they wouldn't want to deal or work with me, so I'm not going to bother asking anything from them. And I don't trust secondhand information from sources I don't trust, therefore you're it."

She cleared her throat, trying to hide the embarrassment that strangely popped up. Like she had anything to be embarrassed about…

"So yeah. Okay, I'll make sure to tell you what's going on so you're not left out of the loop," she teased. "I'll be meeting up with Tenzin there anyways, so you can just drop me off front. Make sure they do their sets."

"Stop torturing them."

"It's tough love."

"It's torture."

He'd still tell the other Task Force members to do the sets anyways.

She was dropped off and for a second, sort of loitered around outside before forcing herself to buckle down and just walk in. Inside, she couldn't stop staring at the floor, watching her reflection in thought.

"Hey, Korra," a familiar voice greeted her.

Her head snapped up in surprise, seeing Tahno sitting dejectedly on a bench. There were bags under his eyes and his hair wasn't styled as usual. He was sitting hunched over and it didn't look like the Tahno she'd distantly known.

She was surprised that he addressed her so familiarly as just Korra.

"Tahno?" She sat beside him on the bench. "Listen, I know we're not exactly the best of friends, but I'm sorry Amon took your bending."

"I've been to the best healers in the city. Whatever Amon did to me, it was permanent. You gotta get him for me," he looked at her determinedly, just a brief glimpse of the old Tahno back.

She nodded at him. She also saw Tenzin, Lin, and Hiroshi Sato coming towards them, so she blurted out the thought that crossed her mind for just a second after seeing this new Tahno.

"Hey, you wanna hang out and get some noodles at Narook's? I had Water Tribe cuisine earlier, so I was thinking of making a theme of it today," she offered the ex-probender.

He blinked. "You offering lunch?"

"Yeah. So?"

His lips were twitching suspiciously. "Sounds good to me. After I'm done here?"

She nodded and raised her eyebrow cockily in question. He smirked back.

"Mr. Sato, if you remember anything else about what you saw during Amon's attack, please let us know," the two of them heard Lin speak to the wealthy industrialist.

"I'm happy to help any way I can. I want these Equalists to pay for what they've done," Hiroshi exclaimed heartily.

Tenzin looked towards her. "Korra, I'll talk to you at home with Lin. We'll be here awhile, so it might be best that you roam around the city instead of waiting up for me."

Korra gestured an okay, glad she'd made plans for lunch with Tahno then. It worked out and her impulsiveness didn't end up causing problems.

"We're ready for you now," Tenzin directed towards Tahno this time.

Tahno stood up, starting to follow after Tenzin and Lin. He stopped and turned towards Korra, waving.

"See you around.._Ah_vatar," he smiled slightly before leaving.

Korra watched his back for a bit before letting out a loud sigh and flopping back onto the bench, sprawled all over it.

"Tired?"

Her eyes snapped open and she saw Hiroshi smiling in amusement. She straightened up and scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

"Yeah," she admitted, giving an awkward grin at the older man, not sure how to approach him.

He chuckled and sat down next to her. "I understand. What with all your Avatar duties and everything, you surely must be exhausted having to keep up with it. I myself deal with the stress of managing frustrating affairs of my enterprise. I don't regret it a bit...but the work can be tiresome. Not that anything of the sort can compare with what _you're_ responsible for, Avatar Korra! I'm or what I do is hardly that important!"

Korra shook her head earnestly. "Not at all, Mr. Sato. What you do is important –you help the world improve, not only in innovation but your charity. I mean, without your goodwill and help, the Fire Ferrets would never have been able to come so far! And the people who work for you, Mr. Sato. They have steady, good-paying jobs because of you. In the same way that people look to me as the Avatar, they look to you because you're in charge of them."

Hiroshi chuckled, looking a little embarrassed himself. "Well, I can see the likeness, but I hardly doubt my situation with my workers is on the same level as the Avatar. I'm hardly worthy of such a comparison."

"And that's where you're wrong," Korra grinned. "Without you, they could be living on the streets and/or starving. You pay them and they're able to live life at least as comfortably as they can. As far as I'm concerned, you are doing more to help the world now than I am."

Hiroshi was looking at her in surprise, but she really thought that. What had she really been doing to help the world out anyhow? She couldn't even get Amon…

He clapped a hand on her shoulder heavily and startled her out of her thoughts.

"That is very high praise, coming from the Avatar herself. And perhaps we'll just have to agree to disagree, Avatar Korra. But I will also say those very same workers, have had grown more hope in the time you have come to this city than in a Republic City where you had still not come. They may look up to me because I am their boss, but they look to you because you are their Avatar. I am just an industrialist. My importance does not outweigh that of the world's savior."

He looked up at the ceiling with a frown. "You are young, Avatar Korra. You have the weight of the world on your shoulders. You have burdens others do not. Do not dwell on thoughts and opinions of others, or of worries that plague you. You have done well and quite a bit for your age. That is something to be proud of. You _are_ still a teenage girl, after all. You should take time to enjoy life every once and awhile."

It might be just her imagination, but she could've sworn she heard him speak with such a strange tone, especially near the end…

Hiroshi clapped his hand on her shoulder again and offered a small smile.

"I hear Asami invited you over to our home. She's looking very forward to it, and I must say you are welcome to visit anytime. Goodbye, Avatar Korra."

He stood up and walked away, but even when he was gone his words still lingered in the air and she contemplated and repeated them in her head long after. She was still thinking about them when Tahno was coming towards her, raising an eyebrow at her inattentiveness and odd demeanor. Still, he inwardly shrugged and waved a hand in front of her face carelessly, startling her.

"So, ready to go, _Ah_vatar?"

She rolled her eyes, but got up and walked with him out the police station. They were walking all the way to Narook's at a leisure pace, with Tahno actually moving them through shortcuts she had never been through and that he was teaching her now. She was surprised, that as they walked, that they were having a pretty easy-going conversation and that it was actually kind of cool talking to him.

Having been born in Republic City as half and half of an already mixed waterbender and of a non-bender (hence his odd coloring), he was curious to know of the traditions and culture of his Water Tribe heritage, inquiring after her and also shooting question after question when he could. She also asked about life and growing up in the city, trying to compare in her head between his stories and her experiences.

Then they were in the restaurant and they sat at a table, where their talk turned to pro-bending. They traded banter about it, at the same time as she was able to ask him questions about the sport, before she became involved in it, ones that she'd had as a fan. She got to ask him about how he'd gotten into the sport and also some funny or interesting stories, before they started in on the technical aspects of it. She was surprised when he actually even gave her a few pointers, or even outright advice.

"You know, you aren't as cocky as you play yourself up to be," she grinned, stealing a noodle before he could notice and stop her.

He didn't even blink as his chopsticks shot out and stole some in return, doing so without a beat after she'd done it.

"I'm very flattered, my dear, and I still extend an invitation to some _private _lessons," Tahno smirked widely and leaned closer.

She yanked on his disheveled hair, drawing a mild shout of pain from him.

Not as cocky as she thought he was, but still a cocky son of a…Still, she was pretty sure that losing his bending actually humbled him quite a bit as well.

"You know, those don't actually sound too bad. I might take you up on them sometime," she said nonchalantly, inwardly crowing in amusement when he actually looked flabbergasted at her. "From what I just heard now, you have some crazy awesome knowledge on pro-bending waterbending. And you know…just 'cause you don't have your bending, doesn't mean you're still not a great waterbender."

Even though he didn't say anything and he was still sort of staring at her in surprise, there was a sort of appreciative gleam in his eyes that said what he wouldn't out loud.

Afterwards, the two of them went about to leave when they saw the owner being harassed. Korra's shackles were raised and she was ready to stomp over and give the guy a thrashing. Well…she stomped over, but she didn't start beating him up. Instead, she stopped short when she saw the guy bending some water out of the owner's flower vase and hold it threateningly to the man's neck.

Narook was a nice guy. Even though some talks seemed a bit stilted whenever she talked to him, he was polite and mostly kind. He made the greatest noodles in Republic City and he had a great sense of humor.

He didn't deserve this harassment.

She instinctively lashed out and bent the water out of the other waterbender's hands, turning it against the attacker and almost smashing him against the wall and just barely remembering to lower her strength in time.

"Disgrace," she hissed, though inwardly she thought she'd been hanging around Tarrlok too long. Her choice of words were starting to get a little too…big for ordinary conversations. "Using your bending like this. It's a crime against the very nature of the world. Corrupting your bending is a corruption of your soul –_bending is an extension of your soul_!" Korra was too into her anger to realize that her voice had slightly morphed at the end, sometimes sounding like there were a multitude of other voices joining hers.

But Tahno didn't, and he sort of stood there, forgotten, staring at her and feeling a little nervous.

This was the _Avatar_. Hanging around Korra made it easy to forget the undeniable fact that she was also a supreme spiritual and otherworldly being, but it was nevertheless the truth.

However…

Tahno glanced over at the mesmerized Narook. The owner of the restaurant was a non-bender and also harbored, while not hate, rather slight resentment towards benders. Korra didn't know this and only seemed to be aware of the stiltedness Narook had towards her, while unaware of the actual resentment and reason why.

"Why defend a non-bender?" he spoke up, making sure his tone was neutral. "He doesn't bend. Neither do I, so what makes you want to defend us anyway? You're not our Avatar."

Korra growled, her demeanor and voice still slightly a little more "Avatar" than the girl he was getting to know. But when she irritatedly, but gently, tossed some of the water his way and splashed it against his face, he knew for certain that she was really Korra right then.

"Shut up, Tahno. Stop being annoying. Besides –I'm everyone's Avatar. So you gotta deal with it, understand?" she stuck her tongue out at him. "And you!" she turned back to the offending waterbender. "So you think it's okay to spit on your soul, do you? Do you think just anyone is given bending? It's not passed down in the family! Who knows why some can bend and others can't, but you better damn respect the gift that you've been given and make one hell of a show in life regarding that treasure and using it in ways that should honor it, not shame it and the Spirits!"

"Hey, you're kind of old school," Tahno blurted out, noticing that Korra seemed really into campaigning for the Spirits and the old ways of bending.

Korra stared at him in confusion and he reluctantly elaborated. Her face scrunched up before she pursed her lips and glared out in front of her.

"You know, there's something wrong with this city. Why is everyone so materially-obsessed? You'd think there'd be some who remember the good ol' days, where Aang and them used to run into spiritual people and respect everywhere. Sheesh, no wonder Spirits don't show up in the physical plane anymore…" she grumbled near the end. She knew was practically spiritually handicapped, but despite her reluctance towards it, she did know and understand the importance of spirituality.

"Come on, Korra. Let's just go," Tahno interrupted and it surprised Korra enough that he'd used her name that she ended up letting go of the guy and staring at him.

"Uh, okay. But first –you! You better help Narook out with whatever today, because of your actions, or else I'll come back and bend your butt back to the Poles! And I don't mean the district," Korra glared at the attacker, who was now shuffling shamefully.

Tahno bit back the comment of Korra acting like a nagging mother, knowing it would just turn her ire at him.

"You know, saying that doesn't work here, Korra," Tahno snarked. "What with what's going on in Republic City and all. You know –bender and non-benders, and that oppression by bending stuff?"

Korra blinked before blowing a huff of fire in irritation. "Spirits, this just sucks! Why can't you all just take the words and fire back? Back in the South Pole, we'd scream threats at each other all the time. I thought that was normal! My friends there just roll their eyes or come up with a comeback. Even my non-bending friends would be like 'I'll push you into ice-cold waters' or something."

Tahno almost burst out into laughter, but refrained. It wasn't in his nature and he was pretty sure Korra was being serious and would get all hurt, thinking he was making fun of her.

"…Well, tensions are a bit different here, remember Korra?" he asked gently, knowing he'd surprise her with his tone enough that she would be calming down and hopefully become less upset. "Besides –I thought I heard those dork-bending brothers you hang around with, that you didn't have any friends before them?" he switched to teasing immediately.

She turned slightly red. "Um…yeah. I mean…they don't really count as regular friends, you know…"

He raised an eyebrow in question, and even Narook and the former attacker leaned closer curiously.

"…I, uh, counted my White Lotus guards as friends."

Well, that was just sad.

Not that the other three were going to say that to her face. Other than it would probably hurt her feelings, she was the Avatar. They weren't suicidal.

"Then you got three more friends right here, right?" he grinned widely at her, eyes closing instinctively. Then Tahno turned slightly to the other two, his smile freezing a bit and his eyes faintly opening and giving them a sly threatening look. So, yeah he just said that benders threatening others wouldn't help the matter in that city…but he'd make an exception on this situation, considering he was actually growing fond of the girl by his side and he couldn't really bend anymore.

"Sure," Narook blinked and the still nameless waterbender nodded quickly.

Korra clapped her hands loudly once and then hollered happily, running over and grabbing all three of them, lifting them into a tight hug where their feet actually left the ground.

"Where the hell did you get this strength from, Korra?" Tahno muttered.

"Jerk," Korra just said squeezing him tighter, but managing to avoid squeezing the other two.

Then the two were leaving and Narook sort of scratched his head at the odd scene.

"'Everyone's Avatar,' huh? And bending as some soul extension…" he shrugged lightly, though he briefly narrowed his eyes at where they'd exited, before turning to his former attacker. "And you –you heard her. Into the kitchen!"

He was only slightly amused that the nameless man actually did listen to him. Slightly. Very slightly.

Wholeheartedly amused.

* * *

Korra frowned to herself as she walked through the street, looking around. There was so much poverty all around her…and she cringed inwardly, seeing that some of those people actually were benders also. She wasn't sure why she was so surprised. She knew Mako and Bolin were, though she hated to acknowledge it, very poor themselves and were still benders.

But with this whole benders versus non-benders problem, she had looked to the cause of the non-bending side and heard (unfortunately especially from the gravelly tones of Amon) that a huge part of the problem of this so-called oppression was that benders held more rights, they lived a better life with more luxuries, etc.

It was proof here that benders were suffering also.

Amon was just generalizing the problem, and making the fight black and white. It wasn't a matter of bending; it was of those who she now knew abused it. Mostly the gangs…

And money. The better lives of people were of the rich versus the poor. Hiroshi Sato was a non-bender, but he was _rich_. He could live that better life that most people couldn't, because of their lack of money. The poor consisted of everyone, she could now see. Not all benders were rich and not all non-benders could say they were oppressed.

It all boiled down to the benders who abused their gifts.

From there, she understood that there were some who were just plain cruel and heartless. But she could see that money could also once again play into it. The whole issue of poverty and the poor could lead some benders into a life of crime, as she gleamed from the hints from Bolin and Mako. There could be some who could be taking advantage of business to gain the wealth they lack, to avoid being with the rest of the poor and having to live that life. And it could only get more worse and more dangerous, with the ones who are more lax and uncaring of their use of their bending against others. She still remembered the gang members that attacked her on her first day in the city. They'd attack injudiciously, not caring she was a bender.

And it would just be scarier with those who were desperate and the ones who were like cornered wild animals.

Those are the ones that start to care less and become too apathetic to hold and have any sort of mercy or feeling left to them.

If she needed to start helping this city, she knew that she would have to put in a lot of focus on the gangs and finding some way to provide some kind of relief to the poor. And she was sure there were probably more issues in the city beyond that, but this was what was staring her right in the face right now and what she saw.

She turned the corner and nearly screamed.

A whole building was on fire.

Started 7/15/12 – Completed 7/31/12

A/n: We have this pain in the ass chapter that was stubborn to write. Anyways, I decided to split episode 7, because what I wanted to do with it would make this chapter too long and I wanted to get something out already. Next chapter should have riots, Task Force missions, Korrasami friendship bonding, and the rest of episode 7. And then I'm going to deviate from canon somewhat by making there be more time between episodes 7 and 8, because pacing in the show has always been a bit weird to me and I wanted to give more time to flesh everyone, their relationship, and stuff going on more than it had in the show.

To anne192: Thank so much! I'm really going for a lot of emotion, and especially exploring Tarrlok as an individual. I'm going to give a lot more detail to his life, along with the canon bits, and keep on having him interact and grow closer with Korra. From his past to the present, simple little details I want to add and give a little detail to the man. And no worries –I am definitely continuing.


End file.
